44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 14, 2023 10:00AM
- Dec/14/23 2:13:00 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this government, Canadians cannot pay their bills. Everything costs more.
The Bloc Québécois is no longer a party of the regions. Bloc members support the Prime Minister in imposing the second carbon tax, which applies to Quebec and adds 20¢ per litre of gas. They really do not understand the reality of the people in my region who need their cars and trucks to get to work. There is a reason why the Bloc members are shouting loud and clear that they want to drastically increase the carbon tax on Quebeckers.
Voting for the Bloc is costly. The Bloc-Liberal coalition must stop putting pressure on Canadians and picking their pockets. According to a published report, a family of four will pay $700 more next year for food. What is more, some food banks can no longer provide food, but there is hope. A Conservative government will restore common sense by abolishing the carbon tax so that Canadians can have full bellies and a full fridge.
177 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 2:16:54 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, members of Parliament and all of the staff of the House are preparing to finally leave Parliament Hill for the holidays. However, for many Quebeckers, this will not be a time to rest and celebrate. Instead, they will be working hard, far from their families, just because their employer cannot do without them.
In addition to these nurses, truckers and service workers, there are also essential volunteers. I am talking about hundreds of designated drivers for Operation Red Nose, people who volunteer at our food banks and soup kitchens, and all those who give of their time so that seniors will have a nice Christmas or so that the most disadvantaged members of our society can at least have a Christmas. It is the dedication of all of these Christmas angels that enables all of us to have a happy holiday season.
On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I want to sincerely thank them. I hope that they all have the merriest Christmas possible under the circumstances and a very happy new year filled with good health and prosperity.
185 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 2:33:14 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the media is reporting that requests for food at a Quebec City food bank, La Bouchée généreuse, have doubled in the past two years. After eight years in power, this Liberal government's legacy is going to be a Canada where people go hungry.
The leader of the Bloc Québécois calls himself the adult in the room, but he likes to insult the other party leaders. On top of that, he is calling for a radical tax increase. This adds insult to injury. Will the Prime Minister follow our common-sense plan and eliminate the inflationary taxes and deficits so that Quebeckers can put food on the table?
120 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 2:34:20 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians and Quebeckers know is that Christmas is coming next week. They also know that they do not have enough money to buy groceries, so does the government really think that they have enough money to buy their children presents? That is what Canadians and Quebeckers have come to realize after eight years under this Liberal government.
What is more, on the other side of the House, our Bloc Québécois friends are asking the government to drastically increase the tax on groceries. Is there anyone in the House who can see clearly and who understands that there comes a time when enough is enough with the taxes? Will the government commit to cancelling its inflationary taxes so that people can put food on the table and have a good Christmas?
137 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 2:40:52 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the federal government owes Quebeckers $460 million for welcoming asylum seekers. They are the federal government's responsibility. The federal government does not want to pay, and it even has the arrogance to keep bluntly stating that it is not an ATM. However, it is our money inside that ATM, not the federal government's. It is taxpayers' money, much of it from Quebeckers. We are entitled to it. That means we have a big problem. The ATM is not working and we cannot access our money.
Will the Minister of Finance thank Quebeckers for their generosity and reimburse Quebec?
103 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 2:42:08 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we know that the minister is talking to Quebec about the $460‑million reimbursement for asylum seekers. We would remind her that the money available to the government does not belong to the government. It is the taxpayers' money, including Quebec taxpayers. The difference is that when the federal government is paying, Quebeckers pay their fair share. However, when Quebec is paying, Quebeckers pay the whole bill. We provide 100% of the services and we pay 100% of the bill. The federal government does not provide services and does not pay a cent. Everyone understands that is not fair.
Will the Minister of Finance reimburse Quebec?
109 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 2:43:20 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we have here a difference of opinion. Quebeckers are welcoming half of all the asylum seekers who come to Canada. That is a lot more than our share. Quebeckers are paying 100% of that bill. That is also a lot more than our fair share. It is basically five times too much. We will continue to do our part and be welcoming, but we are not going to go along with being the only ones doing their part, the only ones being welcoming.
Will the Minister of Finance pay back the $460 million she owes Quebeckers?
99 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 2:43:54 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I repeat that I am quite confident that our government and the Government of Quebec will reach an agreement. It is true that Quebeckers have been very welcoming. We have worked together. To date, we have transferred $450 million to house asylum seekers. We are covering the cost of temporary health coverage. We are expediting the processing of files. We are ensuring that work permits are issued quickly so that these people can support themselves. I am very confident that we will reach an agreement.
88 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 3:05:13 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives.
With Christmas just around the corner, what a gift they have given Canadians. They voted against support for the aerospace sector. They voted against support for tourism businesses. Worse still, they voted against the Plains of Abraham. How on earth are Conservative MPs from Quebec going to explain to Quebeckers why they voted against the Plains of Abraham? It is crazy.
Here on this side of the House, we are going to fight for Canadians. We are going to fight for jobs. We are going to fight for growth.
99 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 3:05:56 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the best gift that Canadians could get in 2024 is a Conservative government.
Canadians are falling further and further behind every day under the costly Liberal-Bloc-NDP coalition. Quebeckers are also spending more than 9% of their disposable income on interest. That is where voting for the Bloc Québécois in Quebec got them.
When will this government let Canadians choose their future? The options are clear. They can choose a coalition that wants to drastically increase taxes, or a good Conservative government that will put more money in the pockets of all Canadians.
100 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 3:06:41 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the gift came from the Conservatives last week when they put their ideology of budget cuts and austerity on full display. Cuts like those hamper Quebec's economic growth, especially in the tourism industry.
Why are Quebec Conservatives unwilling to make cuts to the tourism growth program on the Prairies, but happy to do so in Quebec, the north or Ontario? The Saguenay Fjord is less important than the Prairies. The Plains of Abraham are less important than the Prairies. The St-Tite western festival is less important than the Calgary Stampede. On this side of the House, we are there for all Quebeckers. The Conservatives should be ashamed of themselves.
113 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/23 3:38:53 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Manicouagan for her speech. Of course, I recognize that she and her political party have long supported legislation to prevent replacement workers. We in the NDP are very proud to have forced the Liberals to make that happen. It was an essential condition of the agreement we negotiated with them. Let us not forget that the Liberals have always voted against such bills in the past.
While there are things my colleague and I agree on, such as the benefits of this bill, there are Quebeckers who are currently suffering from the absence of such a bill. I am thinking of the dock workers at the Port of Quebec, as well the Videotron employees in western Quebec, in Gatineau, who are in a labour dispute.
Is my colleague prepared, before the law is enacted, to speak out against employers who use replacement workers, like the Port of Québec or Pierre Karl Péladeau?
163 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
